The Price of Death
by Garrus
Summary: Naruto accepts a great sacrifice to gain the power to protect himself and his younger brother. What happens when that isn't enough? What do you do when the people you have sworn to protect are the cause of your Pain? Smart powerful Naruto. No Romance.


The story will be mostly Naruto centric, with Naruto's brother Akira, being a central character with many akira centric moments. For the sake of not having a huge plot hole, Naruto is four years older then rookie nine, and how old he was in the manga/anime. This does not mean that the rookie 9 will not be playing a central role, they will in fact play a central role in the story. Yes this also means that for the sake of continuity the Kyuubi attack happened when he was three, yes I know that one of the central tenets of Naruto is that they needed a new born baby to seal the Kyuubi away, but I've thought of what I think is a good reason why it would work, hope you will think so too. Also Expect Slow Updates. I don't have a lot of time to write.

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Chapter One: The Waste Land

It was October 10th and five year old Uzumaki Naruto watched the mob come closer and closer to him and his brother's hiding spot behind the garbage cans in the alley. His younger brother was shivering in fear at the calls for the "demon's" death. If he waited any longer they would be upon them in under a minute. He didn't know why but he knew that if his brother was beaten he could be killed or crippled, as opposed to if he was beaten he would be all healed by the time the week was over.

It had been like that ever since the large blonde man in white robes had taken him away from this mother in the hospital, just before the demon fox had stepped on it. His memory of the incident was fuzzy, but he remembered the symbols drawn on his stomach and all around him, and the last thing he remembered was a red mist encompassing him and then pain. After than he remembered nothing.

Making a quick decision he looked into his one year old brother's eyes, putting his finger over his lips, he silently communicated to him to keep quiet.

Bursting out from behind the garbage cans, he fled leaving his brother in an attempt to keep the mob away from his brother. Adrenaline pumping, he vaguely heard the mob chase after him. Blindly running through empty streets the only thoughts were of his brother.

Unfortunately he didn't see a rock until he saw the street coming up at him. Grunting as he scraped his knees, he didn't even notice the wound knitting itself up. Scrambling back up he risked a look back and saw the mob coming closer, their screams of anger and hate didn't even phase him, all he saw were their eyes, dark and hooded, full of hate and anger. He froze under the absolute blind hate that seemed to be palpable to his fear filled mind.

It was when a large rock smashed into his chest that he shook out of his paralysis. Unfortunately by then it was far too late. More rocks followed it buffeting his body, he collapsed under the all encompassing pain that filled his body. His body and mind turned back to the baser instincts that lie under the thousand of years of conditioning and civilizing. Going into shock he barely felt bones breaking under the stress of his body being beaten. As his body and mind quivered in mindless pain he felt a sharp pain as a knife entered his chest. Screaming in pain he felt it leave his body and enter again and again three more times before a huge amount of killing intent poured into the alley where the beating was taking place.

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Sandaime Hokage sat pensively at his desk, listening to the silence and the candle vigils that the many residents had going in silent mourning of the devastating attack that the Kyuubi had laid on the village. The village was still recovering the many lives lost during the attack, and all the buildings had finally been fixed up. Shifting to his left he reviewed the final non-aggression treaty that was going to submitted to Sunakagure no Sato. His thoughts drifting off too that terrible night one year ago. The screams of pain, fear, and anger, left in the wake of an unstoppable force, and in the end his successor had taken the ultimate sacrifice in a manner befitting his heroic reputation.

He faintly heard shouts from the far end of the village. Quickly getting up he stuck his head out the window. He saw torches and a large crowd of people running towards something he couldn't quite make out in the distance.

Rushing back to his desk he transferred some of his chakra into the crystal ball to activate it, manipulating it to look at the crowd the image came into sight. His eyes widened as he noticed young Naruto the jinchuuriki, running franticly away from a mob.

Cursing in anger, he shouted, "ANBU," a dozen men and women in white masks and form fitting light armor appeared. "Stop the mob on the east end of the village, and rescue the boy," said Sandaime, he noticed a couple of them tense at the thought of the demon container, but they still assented with murmurs of Hokage-sama.

Using the Shunshin, he appeared, along with the other ANBU members on the edge of the crowd. Releasing a burst of killing intent, the crowd froze in fright as the normally calm and complacent Hokage unleashed all his frustration on the villagers.

Issuing orders to ANBU he ordered them to arrest the ringleaders and collect the names of all the people who had participated in the mob. Pushing aside the villagers he made his way to the center where Naruto laid. Seeing Naruto laying in a pool of his own blood he called for medic-nin to take him to the hospital.

"My . . . Broth. . .er," gasped Naruto trying to let the elder Hokage know about his brother.

"I'm sorry Naruto-kun, will you please clarify, where is your brother," asked the Hokage?

"I left. . . him . . . in an . . . Alley, tried . . . To draw away . . . The crowd." Naruto gasped out before fainting.

Hokage realizing what Naruto was saying motioned at three ANBU watching the proceedings in silence "Cat, Falcon, Hare, fan out and follow the path of the mob and find his younger brother," said the Hokage urgently. Catching the tone of voice they disappeared without hesitation, following the various scuffled footprints and broken objects indicating the path the mob had followed.

Several blocks away, a drunken man had barely escaped the fate that the rest of the mob had had, when tripping into an alley he heard a noise. Hearing a quiet crying he made his way over and found an infant crawling out of a box. Picking up the boy he looked at the dirty boy, before asking "Where's your parents child," in a kind manner.

Hearing the kind tone the child opened his eyes to see kindness, change to shock and anger. The man having recognized the green eyes and the blond hair of the demon container's younger brother. Getting ready to throw the child down in disgust, he suddenly froze.

The man couldn't move, his whole body seemed to weigh much more, even so he still couldn't fall, or sit down. The effect started to lessen, when he felt the boy leaving his arms, and then he saw a man in a white mask with the markings indicating a Hare holding the boy in one arm. The ANBU muttered "despicable," and then pressed a pressure point on the man's neck, causing everything to go black.

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Naruto slowly woke up in a bright white room. Trying to get up his torso flared in pain. Nearly screaming he lay back down. "Why, he murmured, why did this happen?"

"It's because your weak boy," said a previously unnoticed ANBU.

"Wha," said Naruto as he jumped in surprise.

"Your weak boy, if you were strong none of this would happen to you," said the ANBU in a Hare mask. "Those people are terrified of you, even when your so young, they can't stand the thought of you becoming strong," growled the man.

"How do I become strong," Naruto asked in a quiet voice.

"How else?" the man asked, then as if seeing the question marks in Naruto's head, "by becoming a shinobi, only then will you be able to protect yourself and your brother."

"My brother," shouted Naruto, "where is he?"

"Your brother is fine," said the Hokage, as he entered the room. "Hare, you are dismissed." Grumbling the shinobi left the room. "Do not worry Naruto-kun, your brother is safe and unharmed," as the Hokage said this, Naruto finally released some tension that he didn't even realize he had been holding.

"Why oji-san, why do they hate me, why do they glare at me and call me demon under their breaths?" Asked Naruto in a sad voice.

The Hokage sighed and said, "Naruto, what I tell you cannot leave this room, even your brother cannot know." Naruto just sat their, staring at him with the unspoken question in his eyes. "Remember a year ago when the fourth Hokage took you from the hospital?"

"Was he the funny looking yellow haired man," asked Naruto?

Chuckling at Naruto's description of his successor, he replied "yes Naruto that was the Yondaime Hokage. You see, when Yondaime fought the fox, he couldn't kill it, for there is no way for any mortal to destroy a pure construct of chakra. So he did the next best thing. He sealed it, and not just into anything but a boy, a young boy, you in fact." With that Naruto gasped in terror, but still did not say anything. "Normally the jutsu Yondaime used would only be effective on a new born baby, but there is something even more special about you. You see Naruto, the jutsu he used summoned Shinigami, who sealed the Nine-tails, into you."

"Why me?" Asked Naruto in a sad tone.

Frowning a bit at the voice Naruto was using he replied, "Simple Naruto, you have a intimate connection with Shinigami, through blood and bond, you are the heir to the last of the martial branch of the Temple of Shinigami. The heir to the Juushokisei family." With that the Hokage went silent, waiting for Naruto's response.

"What of my brother," asked Naruto, barely restraining tears.

"He is technically your half brother, your father who was of the Juushokisei clan, died shortly after your birth, your mother gave birth to your brother to far after the death of your father," replied the Hokage.

Images of his loving mother came to mind, his mother holding him, singing lullaby's, of her smiling, and her lessons that she had taught him. Bursting into tears, he said "Please let me think on this."

"Don't worry, I will Naruto-kun, but I will come and see you tomorrow morning." Said the Hokage as he left the room.

Naruto cried for several hours, the first time he had cried since his mother's death. It was like a dam had broken loose, lying in bed, images of his mother, and memories passed through his head. He lay in bed, still awake as the sun rose. After he had finished crying, he felt barren, as if his emotions had bled with his tears. This dulling of emotions allowed him to contemplate and look back on his life as few who still had a full life to live could, without the terrible loneliness, and sadness that had always cast a pall on his life he realized how pathetic he had been in the last year, the scraping, and begging he had done just to survive. He had been spared no kindness in the last year. A ninja village hated beggars. Beggars were seen as pathetic, and too weak to stand up and fight for themselves in a world that had all to many tragedies. It was a revelation to his young mind, he needed to get strong, for himself, and more importantly for his brother. His brother would not know the hardship he had lived with the last year. This he swore to himself, and with this train of thought determination filled him, if someone had been looking into his eyes they would have seen a cold fire appear behind his eyes.

It was several hours later when a tired looking Hokage entered the room. He hadn't slept at all that night, dealing with the arrested civilians and a couple ninja, and then having to explain himself to an irritating council. One of these days he would have to do away with the council as it was well within the powers of the Hokage but they served a purpose of keeping the population satisfied that their opinions would be heard. Until they became to much of a nuisance to get around he wouldn't act.

As he stepped in he looked at Naruto's lying body. He was surprised to see Naruto's normally blond hair far more paler then it had been the night before, in fact it appeared to be almost a whitish blond color, also the whisker marks that were normally found on his cheeks appeared faded and his normally crystalline blue eyes were darker then they had been the night before. Understanding came to him, as he realized that Naruto's bloodline was starting to manifest. His bloodline and his families closeness to the Death God allowed the seal to suppress the Nine-Tails power.

"Good morning Naruto," said Sarutubi.

"Morning Oji-San," replied Naruto in a slightly subdued tone.

"So tell me, what you think about last night's revelation?"

"I want to be a ninja," replied Naruto with conviction.

"Hmmm, becoming a ninja takes much work, especially from one as young as yourself." Said the Hokage.

I'm willing to do anything," replied Naruto again with a fire behind his voice that wasn't there the day before.

Thinking for a minute, the Hokage finally said, "Well I can enter you into the academy, but you will have to take some entrance tests, also you will be the youngest one there, as the children don't usually enter the academy until they are eight, but I will make an exception provided you can pass the entrance tests, and I will endorse you."

"Thank you, thank you, oji-san," the obvious happiness in his voice brought a smile to the weathered Hokage's face.

"Also, Naruto when you complete a year in the academy I will give you your clan's scrolls which will teach you their techniques." Laughing at the look of shock on Naruto's face, the Hokage continued. "Yes, you have family techniques, when your father died, I was gifted them to hold in safety until I deemed you old enough to use them. Later I will assign a chuunin to administer the entrance exams and if you pass he will then take you shopping for the supplies needed."

"But oji-san, I won't be able to afford the supplies and equipment," said Naruto in a downtrodden voice.

"Don't worry child, you wouldn't be the first child given a scholarship. We take care of our own and never forget that," chided the Hokage. Naruto flushed in embarrassment and looked down. This only made the Hokage laugh out loud at seeing Naruto putting. "But first things first, let us visit your brother." The blinding smile on Naruto's face wouldn't dim for a while.

They walked out of the hospital room together and went into the room next to the door they had just exited. Walking past the two ANBU members guarding the door, the Hokage nodded at the masked man. As they entered Naruto rushed over to a small bed which contained a sleeping infant. Naruto rubbed his baby brother Akira's soft blond hair as he slept peacefully. The Hokage pulled up a chair and motioned for Naruto to sit, he then said, "I will be back in a couple hours with the test and the proctor, so by all means relax." At this the he gave a reassuring smile and walked out of the room and disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Three hours later the Hokage returned with a man in the standard Konoha uniform. By this time Akira had wakened and was crawling around the room investigating everything with a curiosity that only an infant could conjure up, under the watchful eye of Naruto.. The Hokage smiled at the precocious infant, while the chuunin behind kept his face neutral "Naruto, this is Aoba, he will be giving you the exam.

"Come with me Naruto," said Aoba neutrally. While he had nothing against the container himself, he was wary of him, and had before this kept his distance.

Naruto smile had dampened when the unfamiliar man had entered the room and wore a indifferent look on his face. Aoba put his hand on Naruto's shoulder and formed the hand sign for the Shunshin. In a puff of smoke they disappeared and quickly reappeared in an unused classroom in the academy. There on one of the desk was a small stack of papers. Aoba motioned for Naruto to sit at the desk. As Naruto was sitting down, Aoba spoke. "You may begin anytime Naruto."

Naruto quickly grabbed the pen on the desk and began. It became clear to Naruto the test was merely checking if he knew how to read and comprehend basic math and reading concepts. He quickly and confidently answered the questions, knowing that he had passed with flying colors due to the careful if sometimes harsh teachings of his mother. Aoba gathered the test quickly and took him outside to the exercise yard of the academy. There were no classes out currently, so it was empty. Aoba then took Naruto through some basic strength and endurance tests, to make sure he could keep up with the rigorous schedule that being a shinobi in training demanded. This time Aoba was surprised at how well he had done. Naruto was as strong and fast as children twice his age, with endurance in spades. Shaking his head, he thought, regardless of how well he does on the written test, he deserved to be in the academy just from the amazing results of his physical test. Dismissing Naruto after he completed the laps he was running, Aoba went to an office to correct the test.

Later that evening Aoba appeared in the Hokage's office. "So how did he do Aoba," said the Hokage.

"Unbelievable Hokage-sama. He has the physical attributes of a child twice his age. His reading and math test he pretty much aced, and to top it off, I've seen people three times his age have worse hand writing." Aoba said in an incredulous voice.

The Hokage just laughed, "Well that is the result when his mother was a renowned Calligrapher. From what I understand she ran him ragged instilling good habits in his writing. And in memory to her he's kept up the practice." Aoba looked amazed.

"This boy will be another Itachi-kun." Said Aoba. "Two amazing prodigies in one generation, Konoha looks to have bright future."

"Yes, yes we do," replied the Hokage, although in the coming years he would sometimes look back and wince at a memory of a time where hope was in abundance and Konoha knew peace.

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Author Notes:

There is my first chapter. That has been in the brewing for months, I wrote the beginning to this about 4 months ago, and finished just now. So when I was writing this I struggled with a couple things. First of all, for all intents and purposes I've going to turn Naruto's younger brother Akira into canon Naruto. Now some may ask why not make an OC older brother to Naruto. It's mostly because I like the possibilities of Naruto out of all the characters. Also I've never seen Naruto as a protective older brother so here is my rendition. Also I'm fascinated by the bond between brothers, the capabilities for love and destruction.

As for Naruto's out of characterness. Here is my explanation. First of all Naruto has more then himself to take care of. So he can't just scream to the heavens with impunity. There are consequences. Attention he has received so far is negative, therefore following the laws of aversion, he would like to avoid attention for his brother's sake. Because he's had to take care of his brother he's also had to become smarter, more responsible. Also since he did live with his mother, he has had some of his need for loving attention seen too, also with the semi-regular visits from the Hokage, while by far not a normal child, he is not the attention starved idiot he is in the show. Just in case you missed it before, expect slow updates.


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